


A Daisy in a Feild of Roses

by fidelisinfinitum



Category: Law and Order: SVU
Genre: Bouquets, F/F, First Dates, Flowers, Wedding, proposal, this was supposed to be short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 10:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11205960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fidelisinfinitum/pseuds/fidelisinfinitum
Summary: Alex could read the language in the blooms, but she never expected to meet anyone else who cared enough to learn.





	A Daisy in a Feild of Roses

**Author's Note:**

> This is that classic tumblr prompt, which I turned into something that is entirely too long for what was going to be a drabble. The title is from a poem by Julie Martinez.

"How do I passive aggressively say 'fuck you' in flower?"

Alex looked up from her textbook to see an angry (and surprisingly pretty) brunette standing at her counter. 

"Um, why?" Alex realized too late that this was probably an awkward question to ask. Bad breakup probably. 

"This guy in my, uh, office keeps messing with me, asking me out and stuff, won't get the hint that I'm not into him, and I'd rather not create workplace drama, so this ought to work," the brunette said with a smirk. 

"And this guy speaks flower?" Alex asked, mentally going through her list of flower meanings the owner had made her memorize when she'd gotten the job, as if she didn't have enough things to remember, studying law.

"Hopefully, he's sent me enough."

Alex smirked, moving from behind the counter to find the flowers she was thinking of. 

"I was thinking we should use some geranium, foxglove and meadowsweet, with a few orange lilies and yellow carnations. Quite striking, really, and I can assure you that it's the message you're going for," said Alex, looking for the right wrapper. 

"Can you?" asked the brunette, pushing her coat back to rest her hand on her hip. That's when Alex saw the gun. 

"Holy shi-crap, okay, what the heck, what?" Alex jumped back, holding her hands out. Yeah, maybe that was an overreaction, but Alex had never been good around guns, her uncle Bill had always teased her about it, but now was really not a good time. 

"Oh, sorry," the gun carrying woman said, "I'm a cop, I didn't think, sorry."

Alex flushed, pushing her glasses up on her nose to hide her embarrassment. "Where's your badge then, officer?" she asked, her fingers flicking through the flowers. 

"Detective, actually," the brunette said, and pulled out a badge. 

"A little young to be a detective," said Alex, laying the lilies on the counter. She was feeling a bit spiteful now, maybe trying to cover up her embarrassing moment before, not that she even cared what-

"Am I?" asked the detective, peering over at the flowers. 

"What's your obsession with asking so many questions?" Alex asked, arranging the flowers in a way that would seem romantic, but if you knew the message underneath the blooms, would just be hilarious. 

"I'm a detective, it comes with the job," she said, "So why don't I just ask the real question on my mind?"

"I don't know, why?" Alex answered. She winced inwardly, was that making her seem too-

"Nerves, probably. It is quite hard to ask a pretty woman like yourself for her number you know."

Alex's cheeks flushed again, but this time she felt flattered, not embarrassed. Fighting down the blush, she said "What, need more flower messages?"

"Just for you," the brunette said, smiling. Damn, she was smooth. At least for Alex's standards. Alex could hardly resist. 

"I don't even know your name," she said, ringing her up. 

"Olivia Benson," she said, and Alex decided it couldn't hurt to give her her number. After all, Olivia was a cop. Nothing would happen, and if it did, good thing Alex could read flower. 

"Alex Cabot," she said, and pushed a slip of paper over the counter. 

**

Alex fidgeted in her seat. As first dates went, this one was sure to be interesting. Almost none of her friends believed her when she said she was going out tonight with an NYPD detective who'd shown up at the dead end flower shop she worked in, not even investigating a crime. 

But here she was, and her date was 15 minutes late. Olivia had probably gotten caught up with her job, detectives probably worked weird hours, it was fine. Still, a call would be nice, Alex thought, drumming her fingers on the tabletop. 

Then she saw her. She was carrying a bouquet of amaryllis, purple iris and lilac, and peonies. 

Beauty, passion, first love, and compassion. 

Alex swore she fell a bit in love when Olivia handed her the flowers. 

"I hope these all mean what I think they mean," she said, her eyes shining. "My partners wife knows flowers."

Alex brought the bouquet to her nose, let the scents wash over her. 

"Thank you."

**

It had been a hard day. Alex hated job hunting, she had to present herself as perfect, when she was self aware enough to know she wasn't, and it was draining. But it would be worth it, she reminded herself, if only I'll be able to bring justice for one person. 

She opened the door to Olivia's apartment, only to find a salmon rose on the coffee table. A salmon rose. How odd-

Desire. 

Alex's breath caught in her throat. Her eyes noticed the flickering of candles, and Olivia standing behind the counter. 

"Hello," the brunette said, her voice husky. 

"Hello," Alex replied, caught up in the moment, still disbelieving. 

Then Olivia had crossed the room and they were kissing, and Alex barely knew her own name- 

They broke apart, only for a moment, and Alex said, "I hope you didn't ask Elliot's wife about this flower."

Olivia laughed, and they kissed again. 

**

Alex wasn't mad. She wasn't angry. She was disappointed. 

And somehow that was worse. 

Being disappointed was like being resigned, it was like she could have expected it. But she hadn't. 

Which was why she was disappointed with herself too. 

Alex watched the clock, it was the kind that ticked, not digital. It made a click every time a hand moved, reminding Alex of the time passing her by. She had called. It wasn't like she just left their reservations, the ones she'd been waiting on for months. It wasn't like she had anything special planned, she thought, feeling the weight of a ring in her pocket. 

Alex heard their door creak open, saw the flowers before she saw Olivia. 

Pink and white carnations, interspersed with purple hyacinth. 

I won't forget again. I ask for your forgiveness. 

It was better than an vocal apology, and as soon as Olivia handed her the flowers, her face pitiful, guilty, Alex threw her arms around her neck. 

None of the girls in her office had boyfriends who brought them flowers to apologize, not ones who picked out anything more complicated then red roses, anyway.

Alex figured that the ring could wait a little longer. 

**

When Alex opened the door, she expected Olivia to be home, probably making dinner, or something else sappily domestic like that, not a trail of flowers leading to the bedroom door. 

Baby's breath and alstroemerias were strewn across the floor, their blossoms delicate and intact. This was purposeful. 

I am devoted to you and I will love you forever. 

Alex felt her eyes sting. This was the most beautiful thing that anyone has ever done for her. She followed the trail, careful not to step on any of the blooms. 

She opened the bedroom door carefully, and was only a little surprised to see Olivia waiting for her there. 

She was on her knees, holding a single flower in her hand. 

It was a red rose, the classic symbol of romantic love. 

Alex remembered Olivia saying that red roses were only for the most special of moments, the ones to cherish forever in your heart. 

That was when Alex saw the ring around the stem. 

She would swear later that her heart almost stopped beating. 

"Alex, I love you. I really, really do. I've been looking for ways to say it, ever since we went out that first night. And this is my way. 

"A red rose represents love. I'm giving you this as a symbol of my love, of our everlasting love. 

"Alex, will you marry me?"

Alex cried. 

Olivia cried. 

Alex said yes. 

**

Engagement had been fun. It really had been. 

But now was the time. The one time in her life every girl looked forward to, at least according to her father. 

She breathed in and out, careful, measured breaths. 

"Not getting cold feet, are you?" her father joked, his eyes damp. 

"Not in a million years. I'm just waiting for my bouquet." Olivia had picked it out. Alex knew it would be amazing, it would be perfect, but she wanted to read her message in the blooms immediately. 

One of her cousins, a few years younger than her, rushed in. She handed Alex the bouquet quickly, and sped out of there, back to her seat.

Yellow and orange chrysanthemums, combined with red carnations, and a few lily of the valleys. 

Abundance and truth of love and happiness. 

Alex almost cried right there, but she held it together as she walked up the aisle, her family filling up their side, Olivia's side almost empty. No siblings, her mother dead, and father in the wind, the only people she had were a few old friends and the squad. Captain Cragen was there, as were Fin and John. Kathy and the kids were a row back, all dressed to the nines. Elliot was standing, the best man, to no ones surprise. 

He had a daisy (cheerfulness and innocence) in his lapel, and was probably the happiest Alex had ever seen him. 

The same could be said for Olivia. She beamed, her brown eyes dancing. She looked like there was no place she'd rather be in the world, and that was how Alex felt. 

They said their vows, put the rings on each other, and kissed. In this blur of a day, this was one thing that was familiar, and Alex relished in it. 

Everyone clapped, and there was a champagne toast. Later, Elliot told a story about how Olivia, frantic before their first date, had called Kathy multiple times to confirm the right flower meanings, and how Kathy just got her a flower meanings book for her next birthday. 

Alex loved the way Olivia's eyes sparkled, so she kissed her again. It was their day, even the flowers said so. 

**

The day they got Noah was even more beautiful. Olivia had practically been obsessed with this case, with Baby Boy Doe's future, and Alex had gotten just as invested. 

Alex loved holding him, the way he felt right in her arms, the way he slept, everything, she loved. 

She was so absorbed, so tired from the amazing day, that she barely noticed when Olivia stepped out for a moment. 

When she returned, she held a bouquet, a sight so familiar to Alex that it just reinforced the sense of home she had. The sense of family. 

Pink carnations, for love of a woman.

White chrysanthemums, loyal love. 

A bunch of daffodils, for rebirth and new beginnings. 

And a single cream rose. Appreciation. 

"I love you," Olivia said, and the picture of her and the bouquet was too much for Alex. 

"I love you too, so much," Alex said, her words as sincere as she had ever been in her entire life. 

Noah stirred in his sleep, his little legs kicking out a bit. 

"I love him," Alex said, a smile taking over her face. 

"Me too," said Olivia, sitting next to her. "I can't wait until we can tell him how we met."

"For revenge," said Alex, remembering the angry woman who'd walked into the dead end flower shop, who'd freaked the clerk out with her almost concealed weapon enough before she asked her out on a date. 

"For flowers," said Olivia, and Alex knew she was thinking of the bouquets, all the flowers she had given, all of the special meanings they each held in her heart. 

People could say that love was a rose, sharp and beautiful, but Alex never thought of it like that. Love was strange, different every time you experienced it, it changes every day. 

Alex thought love was more like a bouquet, fraught with special meaning and secret messages, but still smelling sweet and looking so appealing as to attract the next person. It held many different things, different moments, sometimes contradictions, but even after all this time, it was familiar. It filled a void. 

"For flowers," Alex agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt me on my tumblr!


End file.
